Police Issue Warning About Thieves Posing As Utility Workers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh Police have issued a warning for city residents, especially the elderly, and it stems from an incident that happened on the North Side five days ago.
It was just after 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 15 when police were called to the 1000-block of Chestnut Street for a reported robbery.
"I look around and there's a man on my second-floor porch, white helmet – no insignia or anything on it – a vest and ID – a picture ID," said Dorothy, the robbery victim.
She didn't want her face shown on television and only wanted to use her first name. Dorothy and her husband are in their late-70s and early-80s.
Recently, they were the victims of a home invasion.
"Spoke broke English," Dorothy said of the suspects. "He said he had to come in because there was a gas leak down the street, the water… it was going into the water lines and it was making our water lines green."
Dorothy says before she knew it, several men were inside her house.
"There were five of them, so apparently the two that I know to see now, they must have had other people sneak in," she said.
She knew something wasn't quite right.
"And I said, 'Enough of your lies. You're a bunch of crooks and I'm calling the police.' And he took my cell out of my hand," Dorothy said. "Why I did this I don't know, but I said, 'No, you won't.' And I took it back."
Dorothy and her husband were not hurt, but the intruders got away with quite a bit of her jewelry.
"Couple of necklaces with gold chains, a gold crucifix, and I didn't know at the time when I talked to the uniformed police, but my diamond ring was missing," Dorothy said.
Police have this warning for local residents.
"Always use your gut instincts," said Diane Richard, of Pittsburgh Police. "If something doesn't feel right, if you didn't call, do not let them in."
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